Ben Stokes Wants to Play in THIS role for Final Ashes Test Against Australia

England all-rounder Ben Stokes is all set to play as a batsman in the fifth and final Ashes Test in Hobart. Stokes had suffered a side strain on day two of the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney. After that, he left the field, while he was bowling his 14th over. Despite the injury and pain, Stokes has revealed that he wants to play the fifth Test. In his column for the Mirror, he shared his thoughts highlighting the importance of playing the final Test.

He wrote: “Some people might have an issue with the type of bowling. But it could happen bowling normally and I can’t start worrying about getting injured. Otherwise, I’m not doing my job properly. Anytime you bowl in a Test match there is a risk of injury.”

However, the all-rounder didn’t bowl in the fourth Test. But he batted in the second innings, scoring 60 off 123 as England managed to draw the Test in thrilling fashion.

READ MORE: Nasser Hussain applauds England’s performance in the fourth Test

“The big question now is whether I can play in the final game as a batsman or not. I’m not going to say definitively just yet because there are still a few days to go. We need to see how I respond to the treatment, but what I will say is that I want to play,” Ben Stokes further wrote.

He also stated that playing without proper treatment might become worse for his injury. And, it might put a question mark on his participation in the upcoming series as well.

“If it is a question of playing through a bit of pain, I know it is not going to be as bad as it was in Sydney and I got through that ok. But there are other things to consider such as the West Indies tour to come and the likelihood of doing more damage,” he added.

“I apologised to Broady, Woody and Jimmy for leaving them with extra work to do” – Ben Stokes

On the other hand, both Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow had batted with pain-killing injections as they both were injured. And, the veteran all-rounder said that that inspired and motivated him to bat longer as well.

READ MORE: England hang on for dramatic draw in fourth Test match

However, the medical team had instructed him not to field but Ben Stokes wanted to help his side too.

The all-rounder again wrote: “I apologised to Broady, Woody and Jimmy for leaving them with extra work to do, but they were great and Jimmy just said ‘don’t worry, you can’t help these things.“The medics and Graham Thorpe suggested perhaps I shouldn’t field, but I felt I needed to be out there to give some support to the team especially when the bowlers were having to step up and bowl my overs.”

While sharing his painful experience, Ben Stokes concluded: “I’ve never had a side strain before. But when I bowled the ball that caused the low-grade tear, it must be what surgery without the anesthetic feels like. It was agony. As painful as it was, amazingly it is not the most pain that I have been in on a cricket field. That will always belong to my broken finger, but this comes a close second.”

The fifth and final Ashes Test will start on Friday, January 14. For the first time, Hobart will host an Ashes Test. It will also be a Pink Ball Test